By Courtney Freeman
Well, as many travelers have probable noticed, the landscape of Robeline is changing. On both sides of the S-curve on the east side of the village we’ve seen two buildings be torn down. Thankfully though these buliding will be replaced with businesses that Robeline desperately needs.
The Sabine bank was damaged by fire due to a car crashing into it last November. The building itself had been used for many other businesses over the years and it will certainly look odd to locals with it gone.
Personally, I was sad that they also took out the tree at the corner of the parking lot. My husband proposed to me under it and it held a special memory for me. But like most other patrons of Sabine Bank we are excited to see progress in the process of getting our bank back. Many local businesses also used the bank for their daily deposits and having to drive 15 miles to either Many or Natchitoches to complete their business was very inconvenient. All in all I’m excited to see the new and improved Sabine State Bank, hopefully very soon.
On the other side of highway 6 is the site for Robeline’s new clinic. It was once a gas station and has had to go through some testing before construction could begin. But I was happy to see that building materials are beginning to arrive on site. The clinic has a tentative opening date of July of this year, with a pharmacy to come after state approval processes. When looking for a site the Sabine Medical Center completed a study and found Robeline to be a “medical desert.”
Just like with the bank being temporarily closed, locals have to drive 15 miles for any medical care. The dollar stores in town have brough convenient shopping and we’ve been blessed to have Shop-a-Lott and the Sabine Bank as long standing features of our community. The new clinic will make it easier for many to have their medical needs met locally. To a population with a majority of elderly citizens and families close to or under the poverty line it will be a welcome and wonderful addition.
I would like to remind everyone Apostolic Truth Tabernacle will hold its Pastoral Anniversary services this Thursday and Friday, March 7-8 at 7:30 pm at 9086 Texas St. in Robeline. Everyone is invited to join us. There will be food and fellowship afterwards.